OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. SATURDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2014.

THEME : THE WRONG KINGDOM.
MEMORISE : When Jesus therefore perceived
that they would come and take him by force,
to make him a king, he departed again into a
mountain himself alone. JOHN 6 : 15.
READ : John 6:11-15
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he
had given thanks, he distributed to the
disciples, and the disciples to them that were
set down; and likewise of the fishes as much
as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his
disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain,
that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and
filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the
five barley loaves, which remained over and
above unto them that had eaten.

14 Then those men, when they had seen the
miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth
that prophet that should come into the world.
15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they
would come and take him by force, to make
him a king, he departed again into a mountain
himself alone.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : JOSHUA 1 - 3 & JOB 34 :
1 - 15.
Jesus drew large crowds in the days of His
ministry here on earth because of the signs
and wonders He performed. This led those
following Him to decide that He should be
made king over Israel. Considering the fame
and popularity Jesus had, in addition to the
prophecies recorded in the Bible about the
coming King, it seemed normal and suitable
that He should be revered and honoured
among the people. However, Jesus was not
interested in the kingdom of this world; neither
did He have interest in gaining glory, honour
or fame. He was only concerned with seeking
His Father’s glory and doing His will (John 4 :
34).
There seems to be a misconception about the
term “kingdom of God”. The kingdom of God
as defined by the Lord Jesus was quite
different from the understanding of the people
of His days. It was this lack of understanding
that made them attempt to crown Him king by
force, thinking that according to various
biblical prophecies, He was called to sit upon
the physical throne of David. This
misconception continues among some
Christians today.
Out of the multitude of references to the
kingdom of God in the Bible, let us consider
these three in order to gain some
understanding. John 3 : 3c says :
“Except a man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God.”
Salvation is the first step a person must take
before they can have access to all the goodies
of the kingdom of God. I welcome you to the
family of God as you take the step of salvation
today in Jesus’ Name. Then Matthew 6 : 33a
says :
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; ......”
It is important to note that seeking the
kingdom of God as a first priority is important
to God. Your personal needs and challenges
must not be placed above the kingdom. And
finally, Romans 14 : 17 says :
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and
drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghost.”
Many Christians live their lives as if the
kingdom of God is all about fun and
entertainment. The kingdom of God is a
process that starts with righteousness,
followed by peace, and then comes joy in the
Holy Ghost. It’s a wonderful experience.
PRAYER POINT :
Father, please let me experience the fullness of
your kingdom in my life from now on.
AUTHOR : Pst E. A ADEBOYE.